Clamp for automobile bumpers



April 15, 1930. w. G. PANcoAsT l CLAMP FOR AUTOMOBILE BUMPERS Filed July 5, 1928 VAVAVAVA f .uvam/fn Patented Apr. j l15, 1930 UNIT-ED STATES PATENTY OFFICE WILLIAM G. rANooAs'r, or WINNETKA, ILLINOIS,y AssIGfNOR To BIFLEX Paonuors OOMIANXOF WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION oF DELAWARE clamp,V and CLAMP ron AUTOMOBILE BUMPERS Application filed July 5, 1928. Serial No. l$290,681.

This invention relates to improvements in clamps for automobile bumpers, and more particularly to a combined clamp and mountingfor a visual indicator in the form of a colored light reflecting bulls-eye or jewel.

The object of the invention is to incorporate in a bumper anadditional protective 4feature for vehicles being driven at night, namely, visual signals capableA of reflecting the rays-of light from the head lights of ve-` hicles approaching from either direction.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings, 1nwh1chv Flgure 1 1s a-perspectlve view. of one end portion ofva` typical automobile bumper showing the position of the clamps.

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation of the lligure 3 is an enlarged detail'view in vertical section showing the construction of the clamp. i Aswell known in the art, an automobile bumper -is a device adapted to be attached vto the' vehicle frame at 4front and rear as a protection against collision damage with The type of of spring steelextending across the front or rear of the vehicle at about the height of the wheel axles, with one bar spaced above the other throughout the central portion to increase the impact or protective area, terminating inwardly from each two endswhere a clamp 2 is mounted to secure the bars togather. The particular design of the bumper Iis not material, however, except asvto thel location of the clamp or clamps, which may be positioned at 'or near the yends or midway betweerrthe ends.

4 The clamp 2 is preferably a malleable casting in the form of a block recessed at the back -to receive the barsto be secured thereto, and

provided with aback plate 3' which is fixed to the block by screws 4 4 when the bum'per is assembled.` The block is preferably of an Ornamental shape and is otherwise decorated vto enhance the appearance of the bumper.

In the present disclosure the -face of the clamp is somewhat Oval in shape, elongated vertiat both front and. rear ends cular concavity'or recess 5 with convergent particular shape in de walls of a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the front portion of the block.

At thebottom of the recess'is a circular open ing surrounded by a rearwardly facing seat 6 forming asomewhat smaller cavity for the 'jewel or bulls-eye 7.

The reflecting element or jewel 7 consists generally of .1 circularmetal holder 'in which is fixed a lens of colored glass Or other transparent material, backed by a bright reflecting surface. The surface of the lens as well as the reflecting surface may be broken up into a multitude of facets in Order to increase their i luminosity or brilliance. The 'ewel .7 4is setv deep in the'cavity 6 to prevent reakage and backed witha piece, of leather or other suit able resilient material 8held in place by a strip of adhesive tape 9.

vTo further increase the brilliance of the reflected light, the bevelled surface of thev rcce'ss surrounding the jewel, is plated and polished to act as a. reflector, chromium plating being preferably used since it pro` duces a non-tarnishing surface.

The clampsas applied'to the bumper, and the latter mounted on a vehicle, positions one of these reflecting jewels on each side of the vehicle, and at a level to readily reflect the rays of light of an approaching vehicle. If

the bumpers with j ewelled clam s are placed ofp the vehicle, red jewels would preferably be used at the rear 'and green jewels at the front, although .this would. be largely a matter of custom or traffic regulations. The red jewels at the rear forinstance, would servev to indicate to another vehicle approaching from the rear the position of the leading vehicle on the rO'adL,

whether moving or standing still. Moreover,

they would serve as a rear signal light, l should the electric tail lamp fail or the drlver'- negligent in not turning on the lights with approaching darkness. vThe same 4would be true of they jewels at the front of the vehicle, as the reflection therefrom intensified by the surrounding reflecting surface would 1nstantly reveal the presence of a standingor moving vehicle ahead. Manifestly these ]ew els are primarily intended to unction at night, inasmuch as the source of light is the head lamps of other vehicles. However they 5 would reflect the sun light in day time, adding somewhat to the appearance of the bum er.

Having disclosed a preferred embodlmentN of the invention, I claim: 1. A clamping member for automobile bumpers comprising a metal block, having a relatively deep recess in the front face thereof and a light reflecting jewel set into the bottom of said recess, the sides thereof being beveled to form a divergent reflecting surface surrounding said jewel.

2. A clamping member for automobile bumpers comprising a metal block of substantial thickness, having a. circular recess in its front face converging to an opening in the rear face thereof, surrounded by a rearf wardly facing annular seat, and a licht reflecting jewel mounted in said seat, the surface of said recess being polished to provide a reflector for increasing the reflective intensity of said jeweln Signed at .Chicago, Ill., this 2nd day .of

July, 1928.

v WILLIAM G. PANCOAST. 

